Westchester's Winter Wonders
Westchester abounds in cold-weather outdoor activities just a short drive from the big city. Whether the forecast calls for snow or sun, we’ve got you covered.
On a clear day
Start your morning in Northern Westchester with a specialty coffee and pastry at downtown Ossining’s First Village Coffee before a brisk hike through Teatown Lake Reservation, where 15 miles of trails wend by lakes, forests and meadows.
Option A: Two-wheeling it. Head back into Ossining for a lunch of fresh, local seafood at Brothers Fish & Chips. Then, drive south to Tarrytown and hop on the path for a brisk, 7.2-mile roundtrip ride or walk across the Hudson on the newly opened Bridge Path on the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
Option B: For the birds. Drive southeast to Rye and the Long Island Sound, stopping on the way in Mamaroneck for a world-famous hot dog from Walter’s. Your final destination for the day is the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary. Recognized by Audubon New York, the sanctuary’s 179 acres along the Sound serve as a winter home to more than 5,000 ducks.
Whether you bike or bird-watch, cap your day in Elmsford with a well-earned dinner and local beer at Captain Lawrence Brewing Company.
Snowbound
Just-baked donuts, a fresh blanket of snow and a spin on skates across a frozen pond—these are a few of our favorite things.
You’ll start the morning in Larchmont at Side Door Donuts, where Westchesterites in the know come for one-of-a-kind flavors like Fruity Pebbles and Maple Bacon.
Next, head north for a morning of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding at the 4,315-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Afterward, grab a hearty farm-to-table lunch to go from The Kitchen Table in Pound Ridge, and enjoy it tailgate-style (bring blankets to keep things cozy).
And finally, it’s on to Armonk for an afternoon of ice skating on picturesque Wampus Pond (call ahead to make sure ice conditions are safe).
Staying for dinner? Pick up a gourmet pizza or pasta dish from Armonk’s Moderne Barn.
Stay the night
Turn your winter adventure into a weekend getaway with a Westchester hotel stay.
